Furnace cleaning shovel



Oct. 23, 1951 E. WILLIAMS FURNACE CLEANING SHOVEL Filed March 15, 1948 Fig.2

E rnesf Williams INVEN TOR.

Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to shovels, and more particularly to a shovel in which the scoop is adjustable relative to handle portions.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a shovel which is ideally constructed for use in cleaning out the fine ash accumulation from furnaces, both during the operation of the furnace and when the fire pot is empty, the cleaning being accomplished by the use of this improved shovel by manipulating the shovel through the fire door of the furnace.

Another object of this invention, ancillary to the preceding object, is to provide a shovel which may be adjusted so that the scoop may reach portions otherwise diflicult of access, as for example portions immediately beneath the fire door.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable shovel in which the scoop may be shifted relative to the handle without employment of any mechanical means other than the mere deliberate forcing of these scoops to turn relative to the handle, improved frictional bearing means being provided to retain the scoopat any predetermined angular relationship with the handle.

Still another object of this invention, related to the foregoing objects, is to simplify the construction of adjustable shovels and to delete therefrom awkward and unsatisfactory latching means used in shovels proposed heretofore to retain the scoop in proper positional relationship relative to the handle.

And a last object to be mentioned specifically is to provide a shovel of this character which is relatively inexpensive and practicable to manufacture, which is simple and safe as well as convenient to operate, and which will give generally elficient and durable service.

With these objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing which forms a material part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a three dimensional view of the assembled tools;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the assembled shovel; and,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on a vertical plane through the line 3-3 in Figure 2.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the drawmg.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it is proposed by this invention to provide a shovel having a scoop In with a sharpened rounded nose portion I2 and a heel portion which may include: a vertical plate [4 integrally secured to the scoop as illustrated in the drawing.

A reinforcing plate I6 is welded to the central. and lower part of the said heel portion, and this; plate 16 has a neck I8 upstanding therefrom ad-- jacent to the vertical plate l 4. The scoop is aper-- tured immediately beneath the neck I8 and an: upstanding pipe 20 is welded to the neck I 8 So that the lower end of the pipe 20 is adjacent to the lower edge of the scoop l9 and this pipe ex-- tends well above the top of the scoop.

The upper end of this pipe 20 has a collar 22 welded therein and the sleeve 24 is freely mount ed within the lower end of this tube 20. A handle 26 is bent as at 28 intermediate the length there of and a portion 30 of the handle extends from. the bend 28 through the tube 20 and is engaged. with the sleeve 24 in any suitable manner.

A coiled spring 32 is compressed between the collar 22 and the sleeve 24 and between the por-- tion 30 of the handle and the tube 20. The result of this construction is that the tube 20,, collar 22, and indirectly the scoop [0, are pre-- served in frictional engagement with the handle. so that the handle may be forced to shift relative: to the scoop but will retain its relative position unless deliberately forced out of this position by the operator. A preferred handle construction includes a loop 34 on the outer end thereof, and it is preferred that the portion 3i] shall be bent at substantially a right angle with the remaining portion of the handle, thus bringing the said remaining portion of the handle approximately parallel with the scoop l 0, and the operator may at all times easily gage the disposition of the scoop relative to the horizontal even when the scoop is hidden from View.

The particular method ofattaching the sleeve 24 to the lower end of the portion 30 of the handle illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, is of con siderable importance inasmuch as this construction allows for absolute minimum cost of manufacture while allowing for tightening adjustment whenever required. The sleeve 24 is bevelled as indicated at 36 and the lower end of the handle is peened as at38 so that satisfactory connection is made. It will be obvious that any operator having a minimum of mechanical skill will be able to adjust the tightness of connection be- 3 tween the handle and the scoop, when this is necessary, by simply further peening the end of the handle. An adjustability is, therefore, provided with an absolute minimum of equipment.

The operation of this invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawing and with the above recitation of the objects sought to be achieved by this invention. In recapitulation, it need only be added that the improved adjustable shovel described herein is capable of being operated with the scoop l9 disposed at any angle in a plane normal to the portion 311 of the handle. In the light of the foregoing description, it will also now be clear that the shovel is completely free from mechanical latching means of the exposed type and that the shovel will achieve all the objects for which it is in tended.

Minor variations may be made in the details of construction and propo'rtionment of the various elements of this invention without departure from the spirit and scope thereof, which scope should be determined only as required by a proper interpretation oi the terms used the subioined claims.

Having described the invention, Wheat claimed as new is:

1. A shovel comprising a scoop, a reinforcing plate on the heel of the scoop, an upstanding neck on said plate, an upstanding pipe fixed in said neck and extending above the top of said scoop, an elongated handle having a portion thereof extending through said pipe and having a bent portion at the upper end of the pipe, and a spring coiled between said first mentioned portion and said pipe and compressed between the 4 upper end of said pipe and the upset and of the handle.

2. A shovel comprising a scoop, a reinforcin plate on the heel of the scoop, an upstanding neck on said plate, an upstanding pipe fixed in said neck and extending above the top of said scoop, an elongated handle having a portion thereof extending through said pipe and having a bent portion at the upper end of the pipe, said upper end of the pipe having anjinternal collar fixed thereto, the lower end of said handle having a sleeve thereon mounted for free move-' ment within said pipe, and a coiled spring compressed between said collar and said sleeve, c0-'-' axially oi and within said pipe.

3. A shovel comprising a scoop, an upstand ing pipe rigidly supported on said scoop, an elongated handle having a portion thereof extending through said pipe and having a bent portion at the upper end of the pipe, said upper end of the pipe having an internal collar fixed thereto, the lower end of the handle having a sleeve fixed thereon and mounted for free movement within said-pipe, and a coiled spring compressed between said collar and said sleeve coaxia'l'ly of and within said pipe.

ERNEST WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,221,219 Nelson Nov. 12, 1940 2,299,418 Thomas 'Oct. 20, 1942 

